Nut-lock



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE C. NICKOLS, OF ILLIOPOLIS, ILLINOIS.

NUT-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,232, dated March 8, 1898.

Application filed May 26, 1897. Serial No. 638,249. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE O.N1cKoLs, residing at Illiopolis, in the county of Sangamon and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Nut-Lock, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to certain improvements in nut-locks.

- An object of the invention is to provide a nut-lock the parts thereof being so constructed and arranged that there will be no possibility of the nuts becoming loose after they have once been secured in the desired position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a nut-lock having a locking-plate the end portions thereof being formed in such away that the nuts can be locked therein against any possibility of rotation.

Afurther object of the invention is to provide a nut-lock having a locking-plateformed in sections, and also to provide means whereby said sections can be locked together or loosened, as occasion may require.

lVith these and other objects in view my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in combinations and arrangements of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and then specifically pointed out in the claims.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- 7 Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my invention in operative position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal horizontal section, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the locking-plate.

The same letters of reference will indicate like parts wherever they occur throughout the several views.

In the practical embodiment of my invention I have shown a rail A, the same being of the usual construction.

B indicates the ordinary form of fish-plates which are adapted to bear against the sides of the rail, it of course being understood that said rail and the fish-plates are provided with the usual bolt holes or openings for the reception of the bolts 0.

D indicates the nuts adapted to be screwed on the front threaded ends of the bolts in order that the fish plates and rail may be secured together.

The locking-plate employed in this device comprises the two sections E F, having the outwardly-extending lips G, formed integral with the upper and lower portions of said sections of plate and being provided on its rear side with the curved portion II, against which the side portions of the 'bolt are adapted to bear when said bolt is in position between the lips. The section E of the plate is of a length greater than that of the section F and is provided with a threaded opening I at its rear end for the reception of a screw-threaded stem J, carried by the front portion of a squareshaped bar K, the rear end of said square shaped bar being reduced and secured in the body portion of the section F, preferably by a swivel, so that said square bar can be turned by means of an ordinary wrench when it is desired to tighten or loosen the several sections of thelocking-plate. The section of the plate F is provided with the ears L, formed integral at the front upper and lower edges thereof, said ears being provided with suitable openings for the reception of a pin N, adapted to be placed through the same, the lower end thereof being preferably bent up, so that there will be no danger of the pin working out of h said openings of the ears. By reason of the employment of these pins, which are inserted in position after the plate has been locked against the nuts, there will be no possibility of the square bar adapted to be engaged bya wrench accidentally turning.

The operation of my device will be apparent. The fish-plates are first placed in position against the side of the rail and the bolt passed through the bolt-holes thereof and the nuts screwed on the front threaded ends of said bolts. The locking-plate is then placed in between the several nuts, the lips of the sev* eral sections thereof embracing the three sides of the nuts, as clearly shown. Any suitable wrench is then employed for turning the square portion of the bar K until the said sections carrying said lips bear snugly against the nuts. After the parts have been adjusted as described the wrench is then laid aside and the pin N inserted through the openings of the ears of the section F and secured on the under side of the lower car, as already de scribed, so as to prevent any possibility of the turning of the said adjusting-bar after the same has been locked in the desired position,

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I provide an exceedingly cheap and simple construction of nut-lock, the lockingplate being so constructed that the nuts will always be held in a' secure position against any possible turning, which often occurs by reason of the heavy jar of passing trains on the tread of the rails. By reason of the'short section of the locking-plate having the squareshaped bar and the screw-threaded stem entering the pin of the opposite section the said sections can bevtightened or loosened, as oocasion may require, by the employment of an ordinary wrench. 1

While I have not described the use of any particular metal in forming the locking-plate, I prefer to form the same of malleable iron, although I do not care to limit myself to any particular material.

I do not care to limit myself to the exact construction herein set forth, as various slight changes might be made in the forms, constructions, and arrangements of the parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence I do not care to limit myself to the exact construction herein set forth, but consider myself entitled to all such tioned section, said sections being provided at their ends with the lips to embrace the nuts, and a locking-pin adapted to be passed through one of said sections and down on the side of the square-shaped portion of the bar, so as to prevent any possible turning of the same after being in a locked condition, for the purpose set forth.

2. A-nut-lock comprising the rail, the fishplates, the bolt-holes extending through said rails, said rail and fish-plates adapted to receive a bolt having the threaded front ends for the reception of the nuts, a locking-plate formed in sect-ions arranged between said nuts, one of said sections being provided at one of its ends with a threaded opening for the reception of a screw-threaded stem formed integral with the square-shaped bar having the rear end thereof movably secured within the opposite section, and means wherebysaid Sections are held in the desired adjustment after thelips of said sections have been locked against the sides of the nuts, substantially as shown and described.

3. A nut-lock consisting of the rail, the fishplates, the bolt passing through the openings of said rail and fisl1plates provided with the nuts on the front threaded ends thereof, in combination with a locking-plate formed in sections, said sections being provided with the lips to embrace the sides of the nuts, one of said sections having a screw-threaded opening to receive a stem formed integral with the opposite section, said stem having a square shaped rear end adapted to be turned by a wrench, and fastening means so as to bear against the side of the square-shaped portion of the stem to prevent rotation thereof when in a locked position, substantially as and for the purpose described.

G. O. NICKOLS.

lVitnesses:

\V. H. FAIT, W. L. OLENDENEN. 

